


I pine a lot

by CadetDru



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Break Up, Crush at First Sight, Dude better run from the institute, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Gertrude is the archivist, It's the OMC who gets broken up with, Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Martin is bad at poetry, Pre-Canon, Pre-Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Pre-Season/Series 01, Really it's for the best, The Magnus Archives (Podcast) as a Workplace Comedy, Two wrongs make even worse poetry, Unrequited Crush, mild jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:48:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29947470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CadetDru/pseuds/CadetDru
Relationships: Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist & Tim Stoker, Martin Blackwood & Tim Stoker, Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Martin Blackwood/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	I pine a lot

Martin had gotten very good at being exactly what people thought he was. He was a good employee and a decent enough boyfriend. He didn't like when he had to combine the two. He didn't know what face to show.

Martin was friendly with everyone at work. It wasn't just that he was afraid of being found out. It was just easier to get through the day being kind to people. This meant other people were friendly in turn to him. He tried not to be too obvious, did his best not to go around making cups of tea for any and everyone. He'd go out to lunch with people, stand a round at the pub if people went out for drinks. He reached out across the departments.

This meant he got invited out with the general crew when happenings were due to happen. Tim had everyone come out for Friday the 13th, being as it was the night before Valentine's Day. He'd promised Martin that everyone short of Gertrude in the Archives and Elias himself would be coming. 

Tim greeted them warmly, wrapping an arm around Martin's shoulder and pulling him through the surprisingly large turnout. Mike peeled off to get them drinks. Martin looked around, vaguely recognizing people who gave him quick and fleeting smiles. Tim led him to a small, slight man with cropped hair looking like for all the world like the lost academic that he was. "Martin, talk to Jon."

"Hello," the man said. His voice was nothing like Martin expected, the smoothness and crispness to it something that shocked Martin to his core. "I'm Jonathan Sims."

"Oh, you're in Research with Tim and them, right?" Martin said. Jonathan nodded. "I'm Martin Blackwood."

"Hello," Jonathan said again. "It's Jon. I just... sorry."

"You're fine," Martin said. "All a bit much here, isn't it?"

"Tim's trying to be cheerful," Jon muttered. Martin wanted him to talk more, to open up more. Jon wanted to stay closed off. 

Jon closed further when Mike came with Martin's drink. Martin did introductions, tried to play it cool, prayed to no one in particular that his boyfriend would just go away.

"I think I need a smoke," Mike said, answering Martin's prayers. 

"Can I have a cigarette?" Jonathan asked Mike. Martin's stomach did a couple flips. The three of them traipsed outside, Martin having no reason to stay with them.

Mike smiled, supplied the cigarette, lit it for him. He was far too focused on Jon. Martin's jealousy flared, and it was not because his boyfriend was flirting with someone else. He'd never heard Jonathan speak before. It wasn't fair. 

Mike smiled at Martin, raised an eyebrow, cocked his head to Jonathan. "So..."

Martin shook his head. Whatever Mike was insinuating, whatever he was suggesting, it wasn't something that he could have overlap with his career. He couldn't get another job, he was trapped at the Institute until he retired or died. (And it wasn't like Jon would've been interested in either of them, he was out of both of their leagues.)

Mike stubbed out his half-smoked cigarette. "Right. Night, Martin. Good to meet you, Jon."

"You're going so soon?" Martin said, letting a genuine note of disappointment come into his voice.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Mike promised, and he gave Martin a quick kiss on his cheek. 

The blush that came across Martin could easily be put down to embarrassment rather than anger at exposure. Martin lingered with Jon.

"Shame your friend couldn't stay," Jonathan said. He waved his cigarette towards Martin, smoke wafting his way. "You don't smoke."

"Mike does, so I'm getting used to being around it."

"Been together long?" Jonathan said, not making eye contact. 

"Not much longer," Martin said. There was no reason he should've answered Jon like that, offering such honesty to a colleague. It wasn't like him. "I mean, tomorrow is Valentine's and all, but... Sorry."

Jon smiled, and it broke Martin's heart to see just how pretty the man was. "People say I'm easy to talk to, for some ungodly reason."

"Probably a curse," Martin said with a smile.

"Maybe. So, you're breaking up with your boyfriend who gives strange men cigarettes?"

"My boyfriend's on the verge of breaking up with me," Martin corrected. "I don't think I'm his type."

Jon put his cigarette and gave Martin an appraising look. Martin hadn't been so thoroughly evaluated, so absolutely seen, in his life. "Then he's a fool."

Martin blushed again. "Thank you," he stammered.

"We should go back in before Tim sends out a search party or wedding invites," Jon grumbled, ignoring Martin's words. Martin followed him in, planning how to break it off with Mike. 


End file.
